Conservation Action Planning
The Mission StatementWe put environment first.
What? The TNCC was started in March 2020 to explore options for greater support for, and collaboration among, groups doing conservation work in the Thompson-Nicola (T-N) region, including the possibility of a regional conservation partnership, similar to others in BC.
Who? It was initiated by the BC Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development (FLNRORD), with start-up funding from Environment and Climate Change Canada – Canadian Wildlife Service (ECCC-CWS). In April 2021, the TNCC will be launched as a member-driven collaborative organization, independent of government.
Why? ECCC has identified 11 Priority Places for biodiversity conservation in Canada, including the BC Dry Interior. The T-N region comprises 45% of the Dry Interior and contains provincially, nationally and globally significant biodiversity values, including many species and ecosystems at risk. For example, the grassland ecosystem covers only 1% of the province but has over 30% of the species at risk.
When? In Phase 1, March 2020 to March 2021, consultants conducted background research, directed by an ad hoc Working Group, including 80 interviews with over 60 organizations. Results from the interviews show overwhelming support for the idea of a conservation partnership!
The Thompson Watershed has some of the greatest concentrations of species and ecosystems in Canada. The lands, rivers, lakes and streams are the foundation of diverse economies, are culturally important and provide recreational opportunities to human health and wellbeing. It is imperative that we protect and conserve these important spaces for generations to come. As the region’s human population continues to grow and land is developed, key natural areas are being lost and with them, a variety of at-risk plants and animals.
The Thompson-Nicola Conservation Collaborative (TNCC) was formed in response to a collective call to action to unify and strengthen conservation efforts in the Thompson Watershed. The role of the collaborative is to promote shared stewardship, identify conservation priorities, reduce duplication of efforts, share resources and information and provide support to partners in achieving conservation goals. To advance these objectives and in response to partner feedback, the TNCC and conservation partners are working together to develop a Conservation Action Plan (CAP) for the Thompson Watershed throughout 2023/24.
What is a CAP?
A Conservation Action Plan provides a framework for partners to work together to identify and co-invest in shared priority actions that would contribute to maintaining healthy fish and wildlife populations, plants and habitats, and ecological functions in the Thompson-Nicola region for the next ten years and is informed by existing regional plans, data and input from partners.
Why develop a CAP?
By co-developing a CAP for the Thompson Watershed, we can collectively accelerate the identification and implementation of on-the-ground conservation projects and the development of data and information needed to support strengthened conservation-related policies and planning across the landscape.
In addition to identifying critical conservation strategies and actions needed in the region, the CAP is foundational for funders and conservation partners to identify program and projects requiring support, coordination, funding, capacity and collaboration.
How will the CAP be developed?
Through collaborative working sessions we will set priorities and develop collaborative solutions for the region. The starting point is science and local knowledge: sharing what we know about how the species, habitats, and ecosystems of this area interconnect, and identifying the ecological values that make this landscape so exceptional.
Who's involved?
By inviting participation and engagement from diverse perspectives, including Indigenous communities, resource and subject matter experts, landholders, and key individuals, the CAP will be informed by local knowledge and understanding of the species and ecosystems in the region and the priority strategies and actions needed to improve their health and function.
What's the timeframe?
Planning of the overall process commenced in April 2023 with engagement on the process commencing in June 2023. Participants will be invited to working sessions scheduled in the fall of 2023. Following additional engagement, the CAP will be completed by March 31, 2024, and shared broadly.
What area will the CAP cover?
The Conservation Action Plan will cover lands and waters of the Thompson Watershed, including the sub-drainages of Clearwater, North Thompson, Adams, Thompson – Mouth, South Thompson, and Shuswap.